Bolt-on Cutting Edge For ML112 Bucket?

[Dougster]

Cutting edges have entirely different composition and forming methods as compared to the rest of the bucket material. I don't believe a powder coat will do much. You can weld on hard facing but again that will be different material. Welding on cutting edges also requires a different rod.

Seems I recall that those powder & heat treatment "case hardening" products/procedures were actually quite effective... but I do want to keep this cheap and simple on what is becoming my "back-up" bucket. The existing edge needs to be repaired and then beefed up anyway... so why not with a little grinding and an "already hardened" bolt-on. I also have questions about the effect of welding on a cutting edge and whether or not it would require post-welding heat treatment to retain its full strength and hardness.

Bottom line: Simple & cheap is good. Complicated and/or costly is bad. Unless someone tells me that I can't or shouldn't drill through that existing cutting edge to add a bolt-on, I think that's going to be the plan!

Dougster

 

[Egon]

The powder treatment may work well for surface functions but lack penetration that is required by a cutting edge.

To my knowledge no heat treatment is necessary for welding on cutting edges but the proper rods must be used.

 

[skipmarcy]

Don't know if it helps you or not but my old bucket has 4 sets of 2 holes each drilled in the bottom for my homeade forks to bolt to and those forks have done some terribly heavy duty work and the bucket has held up very well for 4 years, no cracks etc. I would think a bolt-on cutting edge would work just fine on these buckets as far as mounting strength. As far as the new bucket I bought, since I had such good luck with the original I didn't even consider anything else. My main reason for the purchase was the larger size of the new bucket. These buckets are fairly light which gives you more material capacity - the old 5' with the extra metal I added is heavier now than the new 6' bucket and lowered my lifting capacity when using it. That old bucket did a tremendous amount of digging gravel out of creeks, rocky soils, sand, ripping small trees & palmettos up etc. I've had to straighten the cutting edge several times - a 10 lb. sledge on a hard, flat surface and a little sweat and she was as good as new until the next time I abused it. This was all before I beefed it up with the extra metal too, I just did that about a year ago. On both buckets I have some HD channel iron inside the upper lip the full length of the bucket to back up my welded-on chain hook in the center of the bucket(s). I'm afraid that if I had a stronger bucket I'd end up ruining the loader somehow !!

 

[Dougster]

Don't know if it helps you or not but my old bucket has 4 sets of 2 holes each drilled in the bottom for my homeade forks to bolt to and those forks have done some terribly heavy duty work and the bucket has held up very well for 4 years, no cracks etc. I would think a bolt-on cutting edge would work just fine on these buckets as far as mounting strength. As far as the new bucket I bought, since I had such good luck with the original I didn't even consider anything else. My main reason for the purchase was the larger size of the new bucket. These buckets are fairly light which gives you more material capacity - the old 5' with the extra metal I added is heavier now than the new 6' bucket and lowered my lifting capacity when using it. That old bucket did a tremendous amount of digging gravel out of creeks, rocky soils, sand, ripping small trees & palmettos up etc. I've had to straighten the cutting edge several times - a 10 lb. sledge on a hard, flat surface and a little sweat and she was as good as new until the next time I abused it. This was all before I beefed it up with the extra metal too, I just did that about a year ago. On both buckets I have some HD channel iron inside the upper lip the full length of the bucket to back up my welded-on chain hook in the center of the bucket(s). I'm afraid that if I had a stronger bucket I'd end up ruining the loader somehow !!

Interesting history with a lot of relevant points. I did not know that the ML112 came with a 5-ft (60-inch) bucket way back then. I've often thought that a more ideal bucket for me would be a 66-inch very heavy duty bucket... maybe even 60-inch... narrower but deeper/taller... instead of a 72-inch wide light-duty. The 72-inch light-duty is perfect for lifting and moving relatively light density materials... but is just not rugged enough or able to concentrate enough force for serious back-dragging and attacking heavily packed mounds of dirt. Of course, many would say this is why there is a 509 on the other end of my beloved red beast!

But the other point is that with various simple strengthening mods, the light-duty buckets can do quite well. It doesn't necessarily take a $600.00 bucket strengthening "project" by my illustrious local welder! I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't just strengthen mine first and delay buying the new HD bucket until I see how it goes with my current bucket all beefed up.

Dougster

 

[7AcherHaven]

How 'bout one of these:
EZ WEAR ATTACHMENT

I am more than pleased with the toothbar I got from them - which is this wear bar with teeth welded on. It's quick to get on and off when I need to and gives a lot more bite on my Mahindra 2015 when digging.

Regards,
Jon

 

[Dougster]

How 'bout one of these: EZ WEAR ATTACHMENT
I am more than pleased with the toothbar I got from them - which is this wear bar with teeth welded on. It's quick to get on and off when I need to and gives a lot more bite on my Mahindra 2015 when digging.
Regards, Jon

Hi Jon - Doesn't look too bad from the photo... but I have to wonder why my nearest Kubota dealer... who is also listed as a dealer for this EZ WEAR ATTACHMENT gizmo... didn't suggest this option to me? And I also wonder how it sits price-wise against his Kubota reversible cutting edge? My guess is that he must make more money on the Kubota cutting edge... which he also has plenty of in stock! Funny how that works.

Meanwhile, it looks like the purchase of that HD bucket is finally back on track for this coming Tuesday... unless, of course, another gremlin pops up in the soup!

Dougster

 

[bindian]

After any welding, if you want to harden it, just heat it cherry red with a rosebud and quench it in turbine (synthetic) oil. But keep a fire extingusher handy as you definitely get flames.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Dougster]

After any welding, if you want to harden it, just heat it cherry red with a rosebud and quench it in turbine (synthetic) oil. But keep a fire extingusher handy as you definitely get flames.
hugs, Brandi

Now I suppose as an aircraft mechanic, you've got buckets of synthetic turbine oil stacked in practically every corner! All I've got is the oil and antifreeze that leaks out of my old Ford econobox!

The good news is that I picked up my new 78" KMW-made heavy-duty QA bucket yesterday and I am *very* pleased with its beefy "stock" cutting edge. I believe it will hold together and resist bending where the 4110's light-duty cutting edge could not. In fact, I am so pleased that rather than add a bolt-on cutting edge onto the old 72" bucket for back-up, I may go with a bolt-on toothbar arrangement instead for a greater working versatility while achieving close to the same desired lower edge strengthening effect.

Funny, but I was completely unaware until yesterday's chance side-trip visit to a large tractor stocking Mahindra dealership up North that the larger Mahindra QA loader buckets... specifically 78" and 84"... already *ARE* much heavier duty than my stock 4110 QA bucket. It never occurred to me that I could just purchase a "one size bigger" Mahindra bucket and... more or less... achieve my goal. The leftover 78" KMW bucket I ended up with was not made for Mahindra. Interestingly, the bucket I found (with Jeremy's help) has roughly the same profile as my old 4110 bucket whereas the 78" KMW bucket made for the larger Mahindra tractors is noticeably deeper & higher capacity... perhaps a bit too high in capacity for my 4110/ML112.

I still think the Mahindra 72" QA buckets should be built just as heavy-duty as the 78" and 84". I think I will lobby MahindraUSA to make that change!

Dougster

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Dougster, after you win the lottery and get your 7520, you think that you won't need a heaver duty bucket. But because you have so much greater weight & volume capacity, you will now need to beef up your already beefier bucket. Everything snowballs, is it really greener on the other side?

Hey, did you get a good deal on your new bucket? That's a good idea about making your old bucket into a digging bucket. 8 teeth or a tooth bar, some 3/8 flat stock on the side leading edges, 2x2x3/8 angle on top edge with 5 chain hooks and you will be good to go. Oh, and paint the buckets black!
Come to think of it, this all sounds familiar.

Good luck, this should give you some practice with that new welder, & a reason to buy a paint gun.

 

[Dougster]

Dougster, after you win the lottery and get your 7520, you think that you won't need a heaver duty bucket. But because you have so much greater weight & volume capacity, you will now need to beef up your already beefier bucket. Everything snowballs, is it really greener on the other side? Hey, did you get a good deal on your new bucket? That's a good idea about making your old bucket into a digging bucket. 8 teeth or a tooth bar, some 3/8 flat stock on the side leading edges, 2x2x3/8 angle on top edge with 5 chain hooks and you will be good to go. Oh, and paint the buckets black! Come to think of it, this all sounds familiar. Good luck, this should give you some practice with that new welder, & a reason to buy a paint gun.

Hey Brian - The new HD bucket is ALREADY black... albeit a bit weathered... except for where a few deep scratches revealed a mysterious RED coat of paint underneath the black! See? It was a Mahindra bucket at heart all along!!! I laughed out loud when I found that Mahindra red paint! Now I will soon have two matching buckets... both black over red! Sorry, no blue!!! I am quite pleased at how this little "upgrade" is finally working out. And my cost? Almost too low to publish! You know how poor I am and how I must sniff out the bargains... or else do without!!!

As far as you rich 7520 owners go... I can tell you that I was allowed this week to actually sit in the seat of a brand new 7520 up in New Hampshire. So there! It was heaven! I made noises like I was reving the engine and pretended I was driving around my zillion acre ranch! The salesman finally forced me to come down, but I had already had my fun! Now I know what it feels like to be you! Pretty dang good I'd say.

When I finally win that lottery... I may even order TWO!!!

Dougster